


The Unexpected Romance

by nweeks3, RizzV825



Series: My Complete Pitch Perfect Story - Part 4 [8]
Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-15
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-11-18 10:20:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 12,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18118841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nweeks3/pseuds/nweeks3, https://archiveofourown.org/users/RizzV825/pseuds/RizzV825
Summary: In a collaboration with RizzV825, 3 years after the USO Tour, Jessica & Ashley are prepared to take their relationship to the next level. But they may not be the only ones...





	1. Bella Beach Day

On August 21st, 2021, some of the Bellas met for a beach day.

Alice & Beca were looking out at the water while Alice's daughter Grace was playing in the sand.

"Wow! What a great day for the beach." Alice said.

"You said it. I'm just glad you & Aubrey made amends after all these years." Beca said.

"(sighs) Yeah. It sure feels nice to be a better person now." Alice said.

"Hey, what's taking Chloe so long to get everything out of the car?" Beca asked when she noticed Chloe struggling.

"Hey, Beca. This cooler is so heavy. Can you give me a hand?" Chloe asked as Beca went over to carry one end of the cooler.

"Geez, how did it get so heavy? Did you put too much ice in?" Beca asked.

"No. Besides wouldn't it be all melted by now?" Chloe asked.

"Fair point." Beca said as the two made it to the sand before setting everything down.

"What's up, Bellas!" Chad said as he & Aubrey arrived with Finn.

"Chad, Aubrey, glad you two made it." Alice said.

"Of course. You didn't think we'd back down on this, did you?" Chad asked.

"Oh, and how's Finn doing today?" Alice asked.

"You wouldn't believe this, but ever since we brought up this beach day, he's been practically jumping for joy!" Aubrey said.

"I don't doubt it. Grace loves coming here ever since we first brought her here earlier this Summer." Alice said.

"Is this her?" Chad asked.

"Yep." Alice said.

"Wow, she IS like your little ray of sunshine." Aubrey said.

"You'd better believe it." Alice said.

"What's up, Bellas!" Amy said as she, Jessica, & Ashley arrived.

"Hey, glad you all made it today." Aubrey said.

"Yep. Jessica & Ashley have some big news for us, they wanted to keep it quiet til we got here." Amy said.

"Well, what is it?" Chloe asked.

"Show 'em, Jessica." Ashley said as Jessica showed the Bellas the engagement ring on her finger.

"OMG! When did this happen?" Chloe asked.

"Last night." Ashley said prompting a flashback where the two were at the same beach at sunset the previous evening.

_In a flashback..._

_"Jessica Smith, the past few years have been some of the best of my life. Even after our brutal break-up last Summer, we still managed to eventually stay best friends. I can remember this past Valentine's Day when we finally got back together, I was so happy and I could tell you were as well. And now with all the romances we've seen over the years, I want ours to be out their as well." Ashley said before getting down on one knee. "So, Jessica Smith, my long time next door neighbor, best friend, roommate, and one true love...will you marry me?" She asked which left Jessica speechless for 15 seconds._

_"YES! ABSOLUTELY!" Jessica said accepting the ring as the two shared a long kiss._

_End of flashback._

"Wow! I can't believe this. I'm so happy for you two." Beca said.

"Yeah. And now we have a favor to ask Aubrey." Jessica said.

"What's up?" Aubrey asked.

"Since you did a wonderful job officiating CR & Denise's wedding 5 years ago, would you officiate ours as well?" Ashley asked.

"Of course I will. I'm looking forward to it." Aubrey said.

"So, when's the big day?" Chloe asked.

"We don't even know yet." Jessica said.

"But when we do decide on a date, we'll keep you all in the loop." Ashley said.

Just then, a tall muscular man appeared with a bottle of sunblock.

"Oh, there you are. I've been waiting for you. Everyone, I'd like you to meet my husband, Ken." Alice said as the Bellas greeted him.

"Nice to meet you all. You must be those Bellas my wife was telling me about." Ken said.

"Some of them. There were a few more that couldn't make it today." Beca said as Stacie arrived.

"Hey, guys. Sorry we took so long getting here. Bella would've thrown a hissy fit if we didn't bring her favorite beach toys." Stacie said.

"You didn't miss much. Anyway, Stacie, this is Alice, Ken, and their daughter Grace." Chloe said introducing them.

"Nice to meet you, guys. And may I say your daughter Grace is adorable." Stacie said as Bella ran over to play in the sand with Grace.

"Oh, look at that...it seems Bella & Grace like each other already." Alice said.

"I'm not surprised. We both raised two well behaved daughters." Stacie said.

"Mommy, can we go in the water please?" Grace asked.

"Of course, honey. You want to go in there now?" Alice asked as Grace nodded yes.

"Well, would you look at that; it seems Finn is getting anxious to go in the water as well." Aubrey said

"Well, let's not keep the kids waiting any longer and let's hit the water!" Stacie suggested as everyone went in the water.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so after re-reading the Wikipedia page from the third movie, it said in the character list that Jessica & Ashley were girlfriends. After seeing that I debated on whether or not I should take their word for it due to my personal rule of romantically pairing characters together. But to be fair: The duo had, like, zero storyline the entire trilogy. So, it's more of a "do whatever you want" scenario.


	2. The Stress of Planning

The next day, back at Jessica & Ashley's apartment, the newly engaged couple sat down in the kitchen trying to discuss wedding planning.

"I have to admit, I'm very happy we're taking our relationship to the next level. But right now I'm drawing a blank as to when & where we can have our wedding." Jessica said.

"Relax, Jessica. It's not one of those things we have to decide on right away." Ashley said.

"I know. I was thinking about having the wedding sometime in the Fall of 2022. Gives us both enough time to come up with the money for everything." Jessica said.

"Good idea. And I like the way you think too. We've always had to spend money on subway routes to & from our jobs." Ashley said.

"Well, at least it's better than how much the city charges for cab fare nowadays." Jessica said.

"True that. I always try to avoid cabs as much as possible." Ashley said.

"Me too." Jessica said.

"I'm thinking all of this is a bit overwhelming right now. Let's get out of here, and take a walk." Ashley said.

With that the two of them went for a walk down the street to clear their heads. This was the stressful part, all the planning of picking your location, your flowers, the food, the guest list, it was enough for anyone to think "Forget it, let's elope." Yet both Jessica and Ashley knew once the big day arrived, it would be beautiful and magical, and they would then spend the rest of their lives together, which is what was most important. The details were trivial, but the celebration of finding that special someone is why they are doing this in the first place.

As they approached the next block, the ladies spot a bridal shop on the corner. When looking in the window, several beautiful wedding dresses were displayed in the front of the store, and the two of them stood there in awe. This would soon be them in front of all their friends and family in probably the most beautiful dress they'll ever wear. Of course money is still the issue, but they were determined one way or another to make their wedding day special. As they were gazing at all of the lovely options in the store front, they were approached by Stacie pushing Bella in her stroller.

"Hey ladies." Stacie said.

"Hey, Stacie. How are you doing today?" Jessica asked.

"Not too bad. I had a day off, so I figured Bella & I could take a stroll through the city today." Stacie said.

"What a great idea." Ashley said.

"So, you two going wedding dress shopping today?" Stacie asked.

"More like browsing." Ashley told her.

"You must be so excited for the big day." Stacie exclaimed.

"Yeah, I think once we get all the plans together, we'll both feel alot better." Jessica said.

"Hey I wanted to ask you, would it be okay if I brought a date to the wedding?" Stacie asked.

"Oh sure, somebody new in your life?" Jessica asked.

"We've been seeing each other for a little while. I met him at work." Stacie explained.

"Well, we look forward to meeting him. You should bring him by sometime." Ashley said.

"Yeah, that'd be great. I'll get in touch with him, and we'll pick a time." Stacie said.

"Great, we'll see you later then." Jessica said.

"Later." Stacie waved goodbye.

The two ladies were certainly excited to meet Stacie's plus one, and hoped he'd be a good guy for her. At the moment there was still more wedding planning as the girls continued on their way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the wedding jitters were real for the two ladies. I'd also like to thank RizzV825 for co-writing the second half of this chapter.


	3. Stacie's Date

One week later, Stacie dropped off Bella at Aubrey & Chad's house on the way to her date. The doorbell rang and Aubrey went to answer it.

"Stacie, come on in." Aubrey said.

"Hey, thanks again for watching Bella while I'm out on my date tonight." Stacie said.

"No problem. Happy to help. I'm greatful you've finally settled down and started to date. Although I am curious as to how you two met." Aubrey said.

"It all started a couple of months ago." Stacie said prompting a flashback.

"This one day after I dismissed my class for the day, the parents picked up their kids as usual. And it turned out the father of one of my students is a divorced dad with a 7-year old daughter. Anyway, this one day, he gave me his number and begged me to consider going on a date with him or he'd pull his daughter out of my class. When he said that, I panicked at first. But then I thought long and hard about it. I never had an actual date before that meant something. I mean even when I was a sex magnet back in college, there was this one guy I did have feelings for, but I couldn't do anything about it." Stacie recapped.

"Okay, let's slow down there for a second...he threatened to pull his daughter out of your class unless you dated him?" Aubrey asked. "Stacie, you shouldn't feel pressured to give in like that." She continued.

"I know. I was at first, but after thinking long and hard about it, I thought 'You know, if this works out, maybe it wouldn't hurt for Bella to have a stepfather.'" Stacie said.

"Okay. Well, if it works out, we'll all be happy for you." Aubrey said. "So, who was this one guy you liked in college and why couldn't you do anything about it?" She asked.

"It was Donald from the Treblemakers. And I couldn't do anything about it because when you lead the Bellas you had that rule where we weren't allowed to date Trebles." Stacie remembered prompting a flashback.

_In a flashback..._

_"Stacie, the Trebles don't respect us, and if we let them penetrate us, we are giving them our power." Aubrey explained._

_"Not a good enough reason to use the word 'penetrate'" Amy chimed in._

_End of flashback._

"Okay, that was then. But do you also remember Beca lifted that rule when she took over as captain the following year?" Aubrey remembered.

"It wouldn't have made a difference. You and him graduated the same year." Stacie fired back.

"Well, he's probably moved on by now and what's important is that you have too by dating this guy." Chad said chiming in.

"How many dates have you gone on with him?" Aubrey asked.

"This is my fifth one." Stacie said.

"Then that means YOU'VE given him a chance." Aubrey said.

"And it's like my dad once said 'When you give people a chance, you just might be surprised by the results.'" Chad said.

"You're right. That DOES make sense in a way. Thank you so much for this talk. I should get going or I'm going to be late. Bella, you be good for Aubrey & Chad, okay. Mommy will be back in a couple hours." Stacie said kissing her daughter goodbye.

"Have a great time on your date, Stacie. And don't worry, Bella & Finn get along quite well. I'm sure we won't have a problem." Aubrey said.

"Thanks again, Aubrey. I'll see you in a bit." Stacie said as she went out the door.

* * *

30 minutes later, Stacie was at an italian restuarant with her date. His name was Kyle Masterson. Stacie arrived as Kyle was waiting for her.

"Hey, babe. So sorry I'm late." Stacie said apologetic.

"Hey, don't sweat it. You didn't keep me waiting that long." Kyle said.

"Well, that's a relief. It's sometimes hard for me to get a sitter for Bella." Stacie said.

"I know how that feels. It's the same way for me with my daughter Kim sometimes." Kyle said.

"So anyway, shall we decide what to order?" Stacie asked opening her menu.

"Yeah, I was thinking about ordering the spaghetti with meatballs." Kyle said.

"Cool. And I just might stick with the penne." Stacie said.

After their waitress came and took their order, they made conversation for a moment.

"So you know how you've brought up the Bellas on our first few dates?" Kyle asked which Stacie nodded yes. "I was thinking maybe I'd like to meet them one day." He continued.

"Well, as long as nothing goes wrong, you'll get that chance. The Bellas have been like a second family to me since college. And lately the only way guys have been added to our big family was if they got married to one of our fellow Bellas. And that's been the case with three guys so far." Stacie explained.

"Really?" Kyle asked.

"One of the ladies in our Bella family was a Bella before I started college, and she wasn't an official part of our family until very recently." Stacie said.

"How'd it all happen?" Kyle asked.

"It's a long story. This one Bella (her name is Alice by the way) was captain the year before my freshman year at Barden. I never met her until not long after this incident where the woman who lead the Bellas during my freshman year (her name is Aubrey) found her working at a Starbucks." Stacie explained.

"Interesting story." Kyle said as their food arrived.

They both took a moment to eat their food, and afterwards the waitress brought the check over. As Stacie was prepared to pull her wallet out of her purse, Kyle stopped her. "No need to bother, I got this." He said taking out his credit card. Once the bill was payed, the two left the restaurant.

"I had a great time tonight, Kyle." Stacie said.

"Me too. I'll call you later, alright." Kyle said as the two shared a quick kiss.

"Bye." Stacie said as she got back into her car on her way to go pick up Bella.

* * *

Another 30 minutes later, Aubrey was reading Bella & Finn a story while waiting for Stacie to return.

"...And they all lived happily ever after. The End." Aubrey said closing the book. When she finished the story, the doorbell rang and she went to answer it.

"Hey, how'd it go tonight?" She asked Stacie.

"Very well. He's been telling me he's interested in meeting the Bellas one day." Stacie recapped.

"Well, I think that can definitely be arranged." Aubrey said.

"Did everything go well tonight?" Stacie asked.

"Yep. Bella was very well behaved. I just got done reading her & Finn a story." Aubrey said as Stacie stepped inside.

"Hey, Bella. Were you a good little girl for Aubrey & Chad?" Stacie asked.

"Yeah!" Bella responded.

"That's a good little girl. Come on, we got to get you home, it's almost bedtime. Thanks again, Aubrey." Stacie said.

"Always happy to help." Aubrey said.

"Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I have to get going or else Bella will up past her bedtime. So, I'll call you later, alright." Stacie said.

"Yep. Have a good night, Stacie." Aubrey said as Stacie went out the door and headed home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So some of you might think the idea of Stacie having a date in this story could be just padding, but it could also be considered a side plot. And to be totally honest, I wasn't sure at first I'd be pairing Stacie up with anyone. So, I'm just going to see how this turns out. If I find it'll work out well, that'll be another future Bella wedding to add to my list. Also the last name of Masterson comes from this cartoon called 6teen which ran on both Nickelodeon & Cartoon Network many years ago.


	4. Halloween

Two months later after Emily & Benji moved to Hartford. One thing they wanted to do is go congratulate Jessica & Ashley on their engagement in person.

"Well, we spent the past 2 days driving around Hartford looking around at places. Anything else you want to do before we head back?" Benji asked.

"Yeah. Remember last Summer when Jessica & Ashley got engaged?" Emily responded.

"Yeah." Benji confirmed.

"I want to find their apartment and congratulate them in person." Emily said.

"Do you know where they live?" Benji asked.

"I do know they have an apartment in Harlem. I remember them saying it's on 125th Street." Emily said.

"Well, let's go then." Benji said as the two began the drive to Harlem.

Since it was 12 Noon on Halloween, they knew if they were going to make the trip over there, they had to get going right away in order to be back at their apartment in time for trick-or-treating. Emily & Benji were lucky that Jessica & Ashley had a day off from their jobs because they had no way to call them ahead of time to find out. To be fair: Emily wanted to surprise them and it was a big risk to take because it would've backfired if the two weren't home. By about 2pm, they arrived outside Jessica & Ashley's Harlem apartment, and rang the doorbell. When they rang the doorbell, Jessica answered the door.

"Emily, Benji. Please come in." Jessica said as the two did so.

"Nice place you got here." Benji said.

"Thanks. Are you in town visiting today?" Jessica asked.

"No. We just moved to Hartford." Emily said.

"Yeah, Emily got a secretary job in a psychologist's office and I'm going to be applying to work at a Starbucks." Benji explained.

"Sounds cool. Good luck on getting in." Jessica said.

"Thank you." Benji said as Ashley came into the living room.

"Emily, Benji, what are you two doing here?" Ashley asked.

"Well, we heard two months ago that you got engaged..." Benji started.

"...And we wanted to congratulate you two in person." Emily continued.

"Thank you." Jessica said.

"We're really excited for the wedding. Even though we don't have an official date booked yet." Ashley said.

"Well, when you do. You have to let us know." Emily said.

"We'll be sending a group text to all the Bellas when a wedding date has been confirmed." Jessica said.

"Well, we'll definitely keep a heads up for that." Emily said.

"But we better get going. We want to be back in time for trick-or-treating and we still have to buy candy." Benji said.

"Bye, guys." Emily said as she & Benji waved the two goodbye.

It was just after 4pm by the time they made it to the supermarket. They were lucky there was still enough candy left in stock to get them through the evening. Their neighborhood was rather big, so they had plenty of trick-or-treaters that evening. When the evening was over, there wasn't much candy left. Before they went to bed, they received a group text from Jessica & Ashley confirming the date of their wedding. The wedding was scheduled for September 10th, 2022.


	5. Jessica's Birthday

On New Year's Day, the Bellas were at Jessica & Ashley's apartment for Jessica's 30th birthday party. They settled on having the party during the day so they wouldn't have to worry about keeping the children awake past their bedtime.

"Happy Birthday, Jessica." Chloe said.

"Thanks, Chloe. I was a bit skeptical about having a birthday party this year, but as long as my fellow Bellas showed up, I'm not complaining." Jessica said.

"I get it. Anyway, the food here is great, and we're all having a wonderful time." Chloe said.

"You said it." Jessica agreed.

By the time it was 5pm, Emily & Benji were prepared to get everyone's attention for a big announcement.

"Excuse me, can I get everyone's attention please?" Emily asked as the Bellas stopped what they were doing to listen.

"Okay, so Emily & I have an announcement to make. It's quite a big one." Benji said. as all of the Bellas had curious looks on their faces as they waited to hear what the couple was going to say.

"I'M PREGNANT!" Emily yelled with excitement.

The Bellas cheered for Emily's big news.

"OMG! Emily, this is wonderful! Just think, another addition to the Bella family soon to be coming our way." Chloe said.

"I know, right. Emily & I are very excited." Benji said.

"Congratulations, Emily. I don't know about you, but I'm up for some cake." Jessica said.

As everyone sat down in the kitchen, Ashley lit the birthday candles before the Bellas sang "Happy Birthday" to Jessica. Afterwards, Jessica blew out the candles in one blow.

"Just think, if my birthday was yesterday, we could've stood out at Times Square in the freezing cold." Jessica said slightly joking.

"Whoa, babe; I'd much prefer the warmth of our apartment." Ashley said.

"Agreed." Jessica said chuckling.

"And besides, I don't think a noisy New Year's Eve environment like that would be good for the children." Aubrey said.

"I for one am glad we didn't have this party in the evening. Finn gets rather cranky if he doesn't get enough sleep." Chad said.

"Okay, what do you say we cut the cake." Beca suggested as Ashley did so before putting each of the cake slices on plates.

As the Bellas passed the cake slices around to each other, they start to wonder where it came from.

"This cake is so delicious. Ashley, did you make this yourself?" Chloe asked.

"No, actually there's this bakery not far from our apartment. They make all kinds of cakes, birthday cakes, wedding cakes, you name it." Ashley said.

"Wait, did you say they do wedding cakes?" Jessica asked.

"Yeah, why?" Ashley asked.

"Maybe they could do our wedding cake when the big day arrives." Jessica suggested.

"I was thinking the same thing." Ashley agreed.

After the Bellas finished their slices of cake, Beca pulled out a giant birthday card that all of the Bellas signed.

"OMG! Look at the size of that card." Jessica said surprised.

"We all pitched in and signed it. Open it up and read what it says." Beca said as Jessica did so.

"Happy 30th Birthday from your fellow Bellas. May you be showered with happiness on your aca-awesome day." She read on one side of the card. The other side had the other Bellas signing the card.

"Thank you all. This definitely has already proved to be an aca-awesome day." She continued filled with happiness.


	6. Valentine's Day Proposal

On Valentine's Day night, Kyle & Stacie were out on a romantic dinner.

"Happy Valentines Day, Stacie." Kyle said.

"Same to you, Kyle. And I must say, these roses you got for me sure are beautiful." Stacie said.

"Thanks. I haven't bought roses in a long time." Kyle said.

"Well, I really like them. I'm so glad we were able to work things out so we can have this date tonight." Stacie said.

"I know what you mean. This is got to be the most difficult night to get a sitter." Kyle said.

"True that. Though I guess we're lucky someone was available." Stacie said.

"But still, let's not let that distract our romantic evening." Kyle suggested.

"I agree. A toast to a Valentine's Day we hope to remember forever." Stacie said holding her glass.

"Cheers." Kyle said as the two clicked their glasses.

30 minutes later as the two finished their dinner.

"That sure was a great meal." Stacie said.

"You said it. And there's more..." Kyle said.

"What more?" Stacie asked as Kyle took a box with an engagement ring out of his pocket and got down on one knee.

"Stacie Conrad...will you marry me?" Kyle asked.

Stacie looked at the ring feeling speechless until she finally was able to come up with an answer.

"YES! I'd be honored to marry you!" She said as the two kissed before Kyle put the engagement ring on her finger.

"You won't regret this, I promise." Kyle said.

"This has been my best Valentine's Day...EVER!" Stacie yelled excited.

* * *

After their date, Stacie went to Aubrey & Chad's house to pick up Bella and reveal her big news. When Stacie rang the doorbell, Aubrey went to answer.

"Stacie, how'd it go tonight?" Aubrey asked as Stacie entered the house.

"Something amazing happened to me tonight and I wanted you to be the first to know." Stacie said.

"Ooh, with that kind of an excitement it must be good." Aubrey said.

"Oh, it is." Stacie said as she showed Aubrey her new engagement ring.

"OMG! Congratulations, Stacie!" Aubrey said as the two hugged. "Chad, come here!" Aubrey said as he did so.

"What's up?" He asked.

"Stacie's engaged!" Aubrey said with excitement.

"Wow, really?! Congrats, Stacie!" Chad said.

"Thanks, guys. I'm really excited about this. Back when Bella was born I thought I'd remain a single mother. But I think it's nice that she could be getting a stepsister and a stepfather." Stacie said.

"Well, we want you to be happy. And us Bellas will all plan on being at the wedding." Aubrey said.

"Thanks. So is Bella ready to go?" Stacie asked as Bella ran to hug her mother. "Hey, Bella. Were you a good girl tonight?"

"Yeah." Bella said.

"That's good. Come on, it's time to get you home. Thanks again for your help, Aubrey. I hope I didn't ruin your Valentine's Day." Stacie said.

"Not at all. Chad & I went on our date early so we could be home in time for yours." Aubrey said.

"Great. Have a good night." Stacie said.

"Good night, Stacie." Aubrey said as Stacie & Bella went home.

When Stacie returned home, she sent a group text to the other Bellas saying "I'M ENGAGED!" She woke up the next morning to a flood of replies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Stacie will be getting married much later in this story. And as we go on, there will be other Bellas celebrating their 30th birthdays. So I'll have chapters for those as well. Unfortunately, since Stacie, Alice, & Denise's birthdays are unknown, they will not be getting birthday chapters. In addition to Jessica & Ashley's wedding, we'll also have the birth of Emily & Benji's child. The gender reveal for their child will not be until later.


	7. A Tough Decision

One month later, Jessica & Ashley were about to call their travel agent to try and book the perfect destination for their honeymoon.

"We've narrowed down our possible honeymoon destinations to the top 5. All we need to do is decide on one." Jessica said.

"Relax, Jessica. How hard could it be?" Ashley said.

As far as their destination choices go, the 5 destinations they narrowed it down to were Paris, London, Rome, Toronto, and Sydney. Another difficult choice they had to make was choosing the week of the trip. Since a few Bella birthdays were rather close apart, they wanted to try to be in town for those birthdays. They found themselves so stressed out by the decision making, they felt like they could lose their mind at any moment. The only thing that could distract them for a brief moment was a group text from Emily which read "It's a boy."

"Oh, my god...Emily and Benji are having a boy?" Jessica asked reading the text.

"Aww, I'm so happy for them." Ashley said.

"But we still need a way to decide on a destination for our honeymoon." Jessica said.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures. And if we can't decide ourselves, then I know exactly how we'll settle this..." Ashley said.

"Roll a dice?" Jessica guessed.

"Nope. We're going to have a meeting with our fellow Bellas. Maybe they can help us decide." Ashley said.

At that point, she sent a group text to the Bellas stating "Jessica & I need all your help deciding something. Please come over to the apartment tonight."

* * *

Later that evening, many of the Bellas showed up at Jessica & Ashley's apartment wondering why they were asked to come over.

"Okay, Bellas. You're probably wondering why we asked you all here." Jessica said as the Bellas agreed.

"We've been having difficulties deciding on a honeymoon location and we need your help." Ashley said.

"Of course. We'd be happy to help." Beca said.

"Got any places in mind?" Chloe asked.

"We've narrowed it down to 5 choices..." Jessica said.

"Paris, London, Rome, Toronto, & Sydney." Ashley continued.

"Oh. I thought maybe you'd want to go back to one of those places we went to on the USO Tour." Aubrey said.

"We didn't think of that." Jessica said.

"And besides, we want this to be not just a relaxing trip, but we want it to be an adventure too." Ashley said.

"Well, if you choose Sydney, I can recommend a few sites for you to check out." Amy said.

"I thought you were from Tasmania." Stacie said confused.

"Okay, fair point." Amy responded.

"Maybe what would help your decision is doing research to see if there are any sites that interest you." Aubrey suggested.

"We've done that. And each one has at least one interesting landmark." Jessica said.

"Like, if we chose Sydney, we could visit the Sydney Opera House." Ashley said imagining the couple attending an opera.

"Toronto has a lot of theaters downtown. Not exactly Broadway, but it sure reminds me of it." Jessica said imagining the couple at a show.

"Paris has the Eiffel Tower." Ashley said imagining the couple staring up at the top of the tower.

"Rome has that famous colosseum." Jessica said imagining the couple outside the colosseum entrance.

"And London has that famous clock known as Big Ben." Ashley said imagining the couple taking a picture of Big Ben.

"Well, how about we all take a vote. You both have some good reasons for wanting to go to all 5 places." Beca suggested.

"You good with that?" Jessica asked.

"Let's just get this tough decision over with so we can call our travel agent." Ashley said.

"Okay, show of hands for Paris..." Jessica said as nobody raised their hand.

"Show of hands for London..." Ashley said as Stacie & Aubrey raised their hands.

"Show of hands for Rome..." Jessica said as CR, & Esther raised their hands.

"Show of hands for Toronto..." Ashley said as Beca, Chloe, & Emily raised their hands.

"Show of hands for Sydney..." Jessica said as only Amy raised her hand.

"Looks like Toronto it is." Ashley said.

"We'll call the travel agent first thing in the morning." Jessica said

After they called their travel agent to book their trip, they decided to book their honeymoon in Toronto for September 23rd-29th. This way, they could be in town for Beca's birthday and be back in time for CR's birthday.


	8. Amy & Flo's Birthdays

Five months later, on the evening of August 24th, the Bellas met at a bar for Amy & Flo's 30th birthday party. While the other Bellas were outside the entrance, Amy & Flo showed up to meet them.

"What's up my aca-awesome friends." Amy said.

"Happy Birthday, Amy & Flo." Chloe said as the other Bellas gave them a group hug.

"Thank you. I definitely want this to be an aca-awesome night." Amy said excited.

"So, why'd you suggest having our birthday party at a bar?" Flo asked.

"I figured for our birthday, we should have a girls night out. And what better place to do that than at a bar." Amy explained.

"What a great idea. I figured with all the stress I've had on my job lately, I could definitely use a few drinks." Aubrey said.

"Just don't get too drunk tonight or I'm calling a cab." Beca warned.

"You don't have to worry about me; my doctor told me I should not be drinking while I'm pregnant." Emily said.

"What doctor told you that? Remember how I had a few drinks when I was pregnant?" Stacie asked.

"Yeah, but I don't recall you getting drunk." Emily fired back.

"That's because it's always better to be sober." Stacie said agreeing.

At that point, the Bellas entered the bar.

"Alright, first rounds on me." CR offered as they ordered their drinks.

When their drinks arrived...

"Bellas, a toast...to not only all of us being together as usual, but to Amy & Flo celebrating their 30th birthdays tonight." Chloe said as the Bellas toasted.

"What do you say after we have our drinks we head back to the apartment for cake." Beca suggested as the others agreed to.

"I'll have to sit out for that; Denise works nights and I have to be back at my place before she has to leave." CR said.

"Okay, well if CR's out, the rest of you in?" Beca asked as they all responded yes.

As the night went on, the Bellas had their drinks. Most of them declined a second round for specific reasons. After they had their drinks, they all took cabs back to Beca, Chloe, & Amy's apartment.

* * *

At the apartment, as the Bellas came inside, Beca took Amy & Flo's cakes out of the fridge. Once Beca set both cakes down on the coffee table, Chloe lit the birthday candles before the Bellas sang "Happy Birthday" to Amy & Flo. After the two blew out their candles, Chloe cut both cakes and served them to the other Bellas in attendance.


	9. Pre-Wedding Jitters

It is a week before Jessica and Ashley are to be married. They've got their location for the reception, they've picked out their flowers, and have booked the caterers. Jessica is back at the apartment waiting for Ashley to return with their wedding dresses. Every trivial decision has been made about the wedding, and now it's only a matter of time before these two ladies officially meld their lives together. This has been a long time coming, that almost didn't feel like it would happen, but here they were soon to marry the person they love most, and these ladies couldn't be any happier.

That evening, Ashley came home with their dresses, and hung them up in their bedroom. Afterwards, both ladies were looking forward to enjoying a quiet evening together. They heated up some leftover Chinese food, and sat in the living room to eat.

"So just a few days now. How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Excited and a little nervous. But in the end it's all been worth it." Jessica said.

"I think so, too." Ashley said taking her fiance's hand.

"So now that the wedding plans are mostly done, what do you want to do tomorrow?" Jessica asked.

"Sleep in with you." Ashley said.

"I think I like that idea." Jessica smiled.

It's been a long road to make this happen, and both were relieved that the big day is almost here. Marriage would be a big change to their lives, but a positive one. They were young when they met, and still struggled with the adults they wanted to be, and figuring out who they are, but it helped that they weren't alone. Ashley and Jessica learned alot from each other, and it has ultimately made them closer. Getting married was just the next step in their journey together. Before long they were finished eating, cleaning up and going to bed awaiting the week ahead of them.

* * *

Now on the night before the wedding, the two brides were in separate rooms until their big day where they will be joined together for the rest of their lives. Jessica was in one room with Chloe, and Ashley was in another with Beca. Their fellow Bellas have been a huge support system throughout this whole wedding planning ordeal, and there was nothing left to worry about now except not tripping down the aisle. Jessica sat up with Chloe awaiting the next morning when she would become a wife. She kept thinking about her true love, and couldn't get to sleep. She kept wondering what Ashley was thinking about, and what she was doing.

"You nervous for tomorrow?" Chloe asked.

"Among other things. I haven't slept without Ashley for awhile, and I don't think I could ever get used to it." Jessica said feeling slightly nervous.

"Well now you'll never have to know what that feels like. I just want to say that I'm so happy for you two." Chloe said.

"Thanks. Just promise me you won't let me trip on my dress tomorrow." Jessica said.

"Deal." Chloe giggled.

* * *

Meanwhile Ashley was in her own room holding her dress up in the mirror imagining the day ahead. They've worked so hard to get here, and she hoped everything would go as planned. Beca finished getting ready for bed as she observed Ashley looking over her dress. She could only imagine what her friend was feeling.

"You're gonna be great tomorrow." Beca said standing behind her.

"I hope so. I love her so much, and I've waited so long for this." Ashley said feeling slightly nervous.

"Hey, we've all known you guys a long time, and have seen how in love you two are. You have to just focus on that fact, and the rest will figure itself out." Beca said encouraging her.

"You're right. I can't wait to see her tomorrow, and how beautiful she is." Ashley said trying to calm herself.

"It won't be long now, not to worry." Beca said.

It was time now to get some sleep, for tomorrow would be the most important day of these young women's lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, as you may have guessed, next chapter will be their long awaited wedding. I'd also like to thank RizzV825 for co-writing this chapter.


	10. Jessica & Ashley's Wedding

On September 10th, the same beach where their proposal took place was all decorated for Jessica & Ashley's wedding. There were tents on both sides of the alter, so the two brides would not be able to see each other before it was time.

In Jessica's tent, she recently recovered from pre-wedding jitters while Chloe was in the tent with her.

"Well, Jessica...we've all been looking forward to this day for the past year. You ready for this?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah. A week ago, I did have some pre-wedding jitters. But I truly believe those jitters have died down now." Jessica said with confidence.

"That's good to hear. Well, your bride-to-be is waiting for you. Now get out there and do this!" Chloe said with encouragement.

* * *

Meanwhile in Ashley's tent, she's been pacing back & forth while Beca tried to calm her down.

"Ashley, relax." Beca said.

"I don't see how. I know I love Jessica, and I proposed to her with confidence a year ago, but I have many doubts." Ashley said.

"Ashley, calm down. Take deep breaths." Beca said as Ashley did so. "You love her and she loves you. If that wasn't the case, we would not be here today. Now get out and there and do this! I believe in you!" Beca said with encouragement.

* * *

As the Wedding March played, both brides met at the aisle holding each others hands for comfort before walking up to the alter.

"Dearly beloved, we're gathered here today to join these two beautiful women in holy matrimony." Aubrey said.

"Do you Jessica Smith take Ashley Jones to be your lawfully wedded wife?" She asked.

"I do." Jessica said.

"And do you Ashley Jones take Jessica Smith to be your lawfully wedded wife?" Aubrey asked.

"I do." Ashley said.

"By the power vested in me, by the state of New Jersey, I now pronounce you two wife and wife." Aubrey said as the two brides kissed.

* * *

Hours later, the rows of chairs used in the ceremony were replaced with tables & chairs for the reception. While the guests were enjoying the reception meals, the Bellas went to talk with the newly married brides.

"Hey, how are our newly married Bellas doing?" Chloe asked

"All I can say is despite the ups and downs we've had this year from a financial point of view, it was all worth it in the end." Jessica said.

"And even during the time we were apart, I always knew we'd find a way back into each others arms." Ashley said.

"And you were right all along." Beca said.

"So you excited to go to Toronto?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, but we're not leaving for at least two more weeks." Jessica said.

"We want to be in town for not just my birthday, but for Beca's birthday as well." Ashley said.

"Yeah, about that; I was thinking since our birthdays are 10 days apart, what would you say about having a conjoined party?" Beca suggested.

"I don't see why not." Ashley said.

"Sounds wonderful. But for now, what do you say the two of you have your first dance together as wives." Chloe suggested.

"You good with that?" Jessica asked to Ashley.

"Let's do it." Ashley said as she grabbed Jessica's hand and headed for the dance floor.

As they were prepared to start their dance, Chloe made her way up to the microphone.

"Ladies and gentleman, I'm Chloe Beale. And I'd like to propose a toast to our lovely brides. Jessica & Ashley, not long after our first Bellas rehearsal, I always knew you two were meant for each other. You've come so far over the past 11 years, and now I'm really happy that you two will be starting a new chapter of your life together." She said as the guests cheered. "And now before the rest of you hit the dance floor, it's time for our newly married brides to have their first dance together." She continued as the other Bellas joined her for an acapella rendition of "The Way You Look Tonight" with half of the Bellas taking solo lines at different parts of the song.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there you go; Jessica & Ashley are married now. But as you can tell by some of the other romances featured in this story, we're not through yet. Next chapter we've got TWO Bella birthdays.


	11. Ashley & Beca's Birthdays

One week after Jessica & Ashley's wedding, some of the Bellas gathered at a restaurant for Ashley & Beca's 30th birthdays. Their actual birthdays were 10 days apart (Ashley's birthday was on Sept. 12 & Beca's birthday was on Sept. 22), so they all agreed that having a conjoined party was the best decision.

"I got to say this was definitely a good idea to have two birthdays in one party." Aubrey said as the Bellas arrived at the restaurant.

"Agreed. Seeing as how the two birthdays are rather close to each other." Stacie said.

"I just wonder how many people will show up today." Chad said.

"I reserved a table for 20, so hopefully they all come." Aubrey said.

Just then Beca, Chloe, Amy, Jessica, & Ashley all arrived. Chloe & Jessica were carrying birthday cakes on their way in.

"Happy Birthday, Ashley & Beca." Aubrey said as all four sat down.

"Thanks, guys. This was really nice of you all to treat us to dinner tonight." Beca said.

"Oh, everyone. You all remember my fiance, Kyle...well we have a big announcement to make." Stacie said.

"We're getting married on December 10th." Kyle said as the Bellas cheered.

"We're so happy for both of you." Chloe said.

"And Bella & Kim are excited about becoming sisters." Stacie said.

"They've had plenty of playdates over the Summer and on weekends. So it's nice that they're really bonding." Kyle said.

"Well, we definitely plan on being there." Chad said.

"Anyone hear if the others will be joining us?" Amy asked.

"Well, CR, Rachel, Esther, & Flo will be joining us later & since Emily will be taking maternity leave soon, she & Benji had to work long hours all week." Aubrey said.

"What about Denise, Alice, Ken, & Grace?" Chloe asked.

"Denise works nights so it's always a long shot with her, and Alice told me she'd have to wait and see what time Ken gets home from work. So we'll have to see what happens." Aubrey said.

"Well, let's hope they all show up if they can." Beca said.

One hour later, after the Bellas had their meals, Jessica & Chloe lit the two birthday cakes. Beca's cake was white while Ashley's cake was chocolate. After the Bellas in attendance sang "Happy Birthday" to the two birthday girls, they both blew out their candles.

Just as the cake was being served, a few more people showed up.

"What's up, Bellas!" Flo said as she & Esther showed up.

"Happy Birthday, Ashley & Beca." Esther said.

"You girls are just in time for cake." Chloe said.

"Wonderful. I'll have a chocolate slice." Flo said.

"And I'll have a white slice." Esther said as the two were served their cake slices.

"Hey, guys." Denise said as her, CR, & Rachel showed up.

"Happy Birthday, Ashley & Beca." CR said.

"You guys want some cake?" Beca asked.

"Yeah! Could I please have a white slice?" Rachel asked.

"Of course you can." Beca said as she handed Rachel her cake slice.

"What about you guys?" Chloe asked.

"I'll take a chocolate slice." CR said.

"And I'll take a white slice." Denise said as the two were served their cake slices.

Just then Aubrey received a text from Alice, it said "Ken's running late so we may have to miss the party. But tell Ashley & Beca we said 'Happy Birthday.'"

"Well, looks like Alice, Ken, & Grace are out for tonight, but they do wish Ashley & Beca a Happy Birthday as well." Aubrey recapped.

"We should thank them the next time we see them." Beca said.

"But for now...let's party!" Ashley exclaimed.

As the night went on, the cake slices were eaten up. Afterwards, the two birthday girls both opened up their birthday cards. As the party was coming to an end, the Bellas that were present for dinner had a discussion as to how to divide up the checks. They all agreed that it didn't matter who ended up paying the check as long as it was a fun time for all.


	12. Jessica & Ashley's Honeymoon

On September 23rd, Jessica & Ashley were at JFK just hours away from boarding their plane to Toronto.

"You excited for this?" Jessica asked.

"Yeah. I've never been to Canada before, so this'll be a new experience." Ashley said.

"I did some research on some things we could do downtown a few days ago." Jessica said.

"Anything spark your interest?" Ashley asked.

"Yeah. Aside from the show tickets we have, I came across this big shopping mall we should check out." Jessica said.

"Sounds cool. Looks like we're in a fun one for the next few days." Ashley said.

About one hour later, they boarded their plane. By about 4pm, they landed in Toronto and were checked into their hotel not too long afterwards. They spent the remainder of the night lounging in their hotel room before they started looking at sites afterwards.

* * *

The next day, they walked a few blocks to a giant shopping mall.

"Wow, I've never seen a mall this big before." Jessica said astounded.

"I know, right. It looks a lot bigger than the one we have back home." Ashley agreed.

"Well, what do you say we head inside and see what stores they have." Jessica suggested.

"Let's do it!" Ashley said excited as they both went inside.

Once they were inside the atrium, Jessica remembered something that was worth pointing out.

"Also, let's just remember: If we buy anything here today, we don't have a lot of leg room left in our suitcases." Jessica said.

"Yeah, that's right. But maybe while we're here, we could look for stuff to bring back for the other Bellas." Ashley suggested.

"Great idea." Jessica said.

They spent the first two hours of the day visiting several stores before having lunch at the food court.

"Where do you think we should eat?" Jessica asked.

"I'll settle for anything other than KFC." Ashley said.

"Does this have anything to do with what happened that one time the Summer after the USO Tour?" Jessica asked.

"YES!" Ashley said firmly.

"Okay. I won't ask any further questions about that. But would you settle for McDonald's?" Jessica asked.

"Sure." Ashley said as they went to get in line at McDonald's to take their orders.

After lunch, they made a quick stop back to their hotel room to drop off their shopping bags. Afterwards, they went back to the mall to catch a movie before dinner. After dinner, they walked a few blocks to a theater where they had tickets to a show.

* * *

After the show that same evening, they came back to their hotel room exhausted after walking around all day.

"What a day that was." Jessica said sitting down on the bed.

"You said it." Ashley said also sitting down on the bed.

"With all the shopping we did, and that show, I think I might want to lounge in the hotel room with you." Jessica said.

"At this rate, I'd definitely be open to that." Ashley said as the two got ready for bed.

After the two put their pajamas on, they both crawled into bed for the night.

"So we're both agreed; tomorrow will just be a day to relax." Jessica said.

"Yep. And if there's anything else we want to see while we're here, it can surely wait for at least 2 or 3 more days." Ashley said.

"Good night." Jessica said turning off the lamp.

"Good night." Ashley said as the two went to sleep for the night.

The married couple stuck to the plan of lounging in the room watching TV the next day. They spent the following few days riding around the city to look at other sites before it was time for the couple to head back home. Before they went back to the airport, they made sure anything they bought while in town was not left behind. While they waited for their flight back to New York, they visited the airport gift shop in case there was something else they wanted to bring back home. Their flight home landed in JFK at about 9pm on September 29th.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I almost was going to put in a scene where Jessica develops an allergic reaction to some bad clams from a seafood restaurant. But I opted not go through with it because if there's anything that could ruin a vacation, it's getting sick. Also, for those of you curious, the name of the mall Jessica & Ashley went to was called the Eaton Center Shopping Mall. It's a real mall, I've been there twice in my life many years ago.


	13. Emily & Benji's Baby

The night after Jessica & Ashley returned home at about 8pm, Emily & Benji were sitting on the couch watching Frozen.

"This is such a great movie." Benji said.

"I know, right. Every time Elsa sings 'Let it Go', I am tempted to turn the volume up." Emily said.

"And hearing 'Love is an Open Door' reminds me of the time we got engaged." Benji said.

"Except we turned out better than Anna & Hans did." Emily said.

"By a long shot. Just know that I will NEVER do to you what he did to her." Benji said.

"No need to worry. Because if that was the case, you & I would've never married each other." Emily said.

"Just think, our son could be born any day now." Benji said as Emily's stomach began to groan.

"Well, now that you mention it..." Emily said.

"Is it time?" Benji asked.

"I think so...yep; my water just broke." Emily said.

"Well come on, let's go!" Benji said as he helped Emily out of the house and into his car.

They arrived at the hospital about 20 minutes later.

When they arrived, Benji made a call to his parents and Emily's mom that their son was about to be born.

* * *

Five hours later at about 1:30am, Emily was on the last few pushes and 4 minutes later, the baby was finally born.

"Aww, look at him. He's so cute." Emily said.

"Yeah he is." Benji agreed as the two welcomed their new son to the world.

"Here, Emily. How about you hold him while I take a pic." He said as she agreed.

After Benji took a pic of Emily holding their new son, he texted his parents and the other Bellas about their son's birth.

The text read "Russell Eugene Applebaum was born on October 1st, 2022."

Before the couple fell asleep, they received numerous replies from the Bellas congratulating them.

Benji received a reply from his dad the following morning stating "Congratulations, son. Your mom and I would like to fly in from Phoenix to come meet him. Would this be okay with you?"

"Of course. Just let us know when you're coming." Benji replied.

"We'll be flying in on Christmas Eve. See you then." Benji's dad replied.

"Well, Emily...looks like Russell will get to meet his grandparents this Christmas." Benji said.

"That is so awesome. I can already imagine Russell's first Christmas being one of his best ones." Emily said.

"Me too." Benji agreed.


	14. Cynthia-Rose's Birthday

A few days later on October 4th, the Bellas arrived at CR & Denise's apartment for CR's 30th birthday.

"Hey, Bellas. Come on in." Denise said as the Bellas did so.

"So, where's the birthday girl?" Beca asked.

"She'll be back in a bit." Denise said.

"Oh, and how's Rachel doing today?" Aubrey asked.

"She had a pretty good day at school today." Denise said.

"Well, that's always good." Aubrey said as CR came into the door carrying a bag of groceries.

"What's up, Bellas!" CR said.

"Happy Birthday, CR." Chloe said.

"Thank you all. We're very happy to see you all today." CR said as she went into the kitchen to set down the groceries.

Denise followed CR into the kitchen to help put away the groceries while the Bellas got to talk to Rachel in the living room.

"What's in those bags?" Rachel asked.

"Oh, these are birthday gifts. One of your moms is having a birthday today." Beca said.

"I got her something too." Rachel said.

"Really? What did you get her?" Stacie asked as Rachel went into the kitchen.

She came back out and showed the Bellas an "I Love My Mom" coffee mug that she got CR for her birthday.

"Rachel, that was a very thoughtful gift." Aubrey said.

"Thank you. I hope she likes whatever you got her." Rachel said.

"She should. We've known your moms for a very long time." Chloe said which made Rachel smile.

CR & Denise came back with CR's birthday cake. After Denise lit the candles, the Bellas sang "Happy Birthday" to CR. After CR blew out the candles, Denise cut the cake and served it to the other Bellas in attendance. After the Bellas were finished eating the cake, CR opened her birthday gifts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know this was rather short, but I did what I could. Also, I wanted to tell you, the next chapter was supposed to be a spa day that happens the day before Stacie's wedding. Unfortunately, I was getting nowhere regarding dialogue for that chapter. Ergo, that chapter has now been scrapped. Next chapter will be Stacie & Kyle's wedding.


	15. Stacie & Kyle's Wedding

On the day of Stacie & Kyle's wedding, Stacie and her bridesmaids were outside the chapel.

"Well, Stacie, did you ever think years ago you'd be here today getting married?" Aubrey asked.

"Honestly, no. But Kyle loves me & I love him. And I know Bella & Kim are excited about becoming sisters." Stacie explained.

"Just think; in just a matter of moments, the four of you will officially become a family." Beca said.

"I know Kyle & I are looking forward to all the great memories we'll get to make together." Stacie said.

"You ready?" Chloe asked as Stacie nodded yes.

"Let's do this!" Stacie said confident.

As the Wedding March started, Stacie's bridesmaids entered the chapel, while Stacie & her mom entered shortly after. As they all walked down the aisle, Kyle was waiting for her.

"Dearly beloved, we're gathered here today to join this man & this woman in holy matrimony." The minister said.

"Do you Kyle Masterson take Stacie Conrad to be your lawfully wedded wife?" He asked.

"I do." Kyle answered.

"And do you Stacie Conrad take Kyle Masterson to be your lawfully wedded husband?" The minister asked.

"I do." Stacie answered.

"By the power vested in me by the state of New Jersey, I now pronounce you two husband & wife!" The minister declared.

The newly married couple shared a kiss as everyone else in the chapel cheered for them.

* * *

Hours later during the reception, the guests were enjoying the reception meals as the Bellas went to talk to the bride & groom.

"Hey, how's our newly married Bella doing?" Chloe asked.

"Well, needless to say this has been a life changing day." Stacie said.

"And I have to admit, if I never enrolled my daughter into Stacie's class, I wouldn't be here today." Kyle said.

"It still amazes me how one day can change your life forever. Reminds me of the day I met my husband." Aubrey said.

"So, where's the honeymoon?" Amy asked.

"We're going to London." Stacie said.

"Originally we were going to go on a Caribbean Cruise, but the water is freezing cold in the Winter, so it just didn't work out." Kyle said.

"Well, if there's one thing that can go wrong on a vacation, it's getting sick." Beca said.

"Let's hope that doesn't happen." Stacie said.

"Agreed." Kyle said.

"But for the time being, what do you say the two of you have your first dance together." Aubrey suggested.

"Great idea." Stacie said as Chloe headed up to the microphone.

"Ladies and gentleman, I'm Chloe Beale. And I'd like to propose a toast to the bride & groom. Stacie, I've always known since our first Bellas rehearsal that one day you'd find the one. I'm not sure if it was before Bella was born, or if it was when you moved to Trenton. But the point is, I'm really happy that now you've gone from a single mother to having a happy family. And I look forward to all the great memories the four of you plan to make together." She said as the guests cheered.

"And now, the bride & groom would like to have their first dance together." She continued as the Bellas joined Chloe for an acapella rendition of "Can't Stop the Feeling". During the song, Chloe & Beca would often trade off the solo lines.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know Can't Stop the Feeling is not a ballad, but I decided on that song as an homage to Anna Kendrick's character in "Trolls."


	16. Esther's Birthday

On February 9th, some of the Bellas had a long and snowy drive to Providence before they arrived at Esther & Flo's apartment for Esther's 30th birthday.

"That sure was a snowy trip up." Beca said.

"Just be glad we didn't have to find alternate routes." Chloe said.

"True that. But I'm just looking forward to spending time with Esther & Flo." Amy said.

"Though something tells me, maybe we should bunk here until the snow stops." Jessica said.

"I'm sure they won't mind." Ashley said.

After they unloaded the car, they went to ring the doorbell and Flo answered.

"Hey, Bellas. Come on in." She said as the Bellas did so.

"So, where's the birthday girl?" Beca asked.

"She went to the supermarket to pick up a few things. She should be back soon." Flo said.

"I'm glad that's less of a drive for her than it was for us getting here." Amy said.

"Was the snow that bad?" Flo asked.

"Yeah. It was snowing non-stop from when we left New York until we got past the Rhode Island state line." Chloe recapped.

"That sure is a lot of snow. How about I make you guys some hot chocolate while we wait for Esther to get back." Flo offered as the Bellas agreed.

They all sat on the couch drinking their hot chocolate when Esther returned carrying two grocery bags.

"I'm back from the store." Esther said carrying two grocery bags.

"Happy Birthday, Esther." Chloe said.

"Thanks, guys. Wow, I can't believe you all braved that snowstorm to get here." Esther said.

"Anything for a fellow Bella, I'm sure." Beca said.

"I should text the others and find out if they're coming." Jessica said before doing so.

Jessica sent a group text to the other Bellas hoping they could all brave the snowstorm. Due to the continuous snow level in New Jersey, the majority of the Bellas had to miss the party. But the snow level was more tamer in Hartford, so Emily & Benji said they'd try to make it and they'd bring their 4 month old son Russell with them. Emily & Benji showed up about an hour later.

"Glad you guys could make it." Flo said.

"We weren't sure if we would make it. We meant to call to see if this party was going to happen. Thankfully the snowy drive wasn't for nothing." Emily said.

"I was about to call everyone and asked if we had to postpone the party. Thankfully you could all come." Flo said.

"The snow level in New York only got to about 4 inches today. Aubrey told me New Jersey is getting covered in 10 inches." Beca said.

"OMG! 10 inches?! I feel sorry for them." Chloe said.

"Me too." Amy said.

"But for those who are here, Jessica & I have a big announcement to make." Ashley said.

"Last Christmas I told you that I'm pregnant. And we just recently found out the gender..." Jessica said.

"It's a boy!" Ashley exclaimed as the Bellas congratulated the the couple.

"This is big news. Let's text the rest of the Bellas right now." Chloe said as she sent out a group text.

The text read "Newsflash: Jessica & Ashley are having a boy."

A minute later, there were so many responses from the other Bellas congratulating the two.

"Okay, now that we got that big news out of the way, what do you say we get to the cake." Flo suggested as she brought out the birthday cake.

After Flo lit the birthday candles, the Bellas in attendance sang "Happy Birthday" to Esther before she blew out the candles. At that point, Esther opened her birthday cards and a couple of gifts that the Bellas pitched in to get.


	17. Finn's Fever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The following chapter may seem like more filler, but it's meant to be a main timeline counterpart to my first story A Perfect Day Gone Wrong. Mainly because that story and this chapter are set around the same time.

At about 8am on August 28th, Aubrey came downstairs while Chad & Finn were having breakfast at the kitchen table.

"Ooh, breakfast smells good today." Aubrey said admiring the scrambled eggs on the table.

"Yep. Come sit down." Chad said as she did so.

"Today's going to be a long day today. I can already feel it." Aubrey said feeling nervous.

"What's up for you today?" Chad asked.

"I have to represent a client in court today. Been a while since I've done so. I just hope it all goes well." Aubrey said.

"Aubrey, ever since we moved here, you've been very successful at your law firm. If I know you like I think I do, I am confident that you'll get through it." Chad said.

After Aubrey finished her breakfast, she grabbed her purse and prepared to head out for the day.

"Well, here goes nothing. Bye, Chad. Bye, Finn." Aubrey said giving them both a kiss goodbye and heading off for the day.

"Hey, Finn, want to go to the park today?" Chad asked.

"Yeah!" Finn said excitedly.

"Alright. We'll go in a couple hours." Chad said before cleaning up the table from breakfast.

* * *

Two hours later, Chad & Finn arrived at the park. Chad sat on a bench while Finn went to play on the playground. As Chad watched Finn play, Jessica came by 30 minutes later.

"Hey, Chad." She said.

"Jessica, out for a walk today?" Chad asked.

"Yeah. I started my maternity leave yesterday so I might as well relax before our new baby arrives." Jessica said as she sat down with Chad.

"So was it a hard decision to decide who would carry the baby?" Chad asked.

"Not really. Ashley & I both agreed that me carrying the baby was the better choice. She makes more money at her job than I do at mine. This way, it'd be easier to support our son." Jessica explained.

"I can definitely see that." Chad said.

"Hey, is something wrong with Finn?" Jessica asked worried.

"What do you mean?" Chad asked confused as Finn walked up to him.

"Daddy, I don't feel good." Finn said approaching Chad & Jessica.

"What do you mean you don't feel good?" Chad asked feeling Finn's forehead. "Oh, no; I think you've got a fever. Luckily I came prepared for such a thing." He said as he took out a thermometer and placed it in Finn's ear. "103?! Why must this happen on a day like this?" He asked panicking. "Come on, let's get you home and then I'll call the doctor." He said as he put Finn in his car seat.

"Will he be okay?" Jessica asked concerned.

"Boy, I sure hope so." Chad said before getting into the driver's seat.

"Me too. Feel better, Finn." Jessica said before she left to continue her walk through the park.

Before Chad started his car, he called Aubrey hoping to get in touch with her even though he knew it'd be a long shot. "Come on, pick up!" He muttered to himself, but the call went to Aubrey's voicemail instead.

_"You've reached Aubrey Donaldson. Leave a message at the tone."_  After the tone, he began to leave her the message.

"Hi, honey. It's Chad. We were at the park today and Finn came down with a fever. I'm bringing him home and then I'm going to call the doctor. Please call me back when you're done at the courthouse, okay. Later." He said before hanging up.

* * *

As Chad pulled into the driveway, Aubrey called him back.

"Hey, Aubrey." He said answering his phone.

"Hey, Chad. How's Finn doing?" Aubrey asked concerned.

"I haven't checked his temperature since we left the park." Chad said.

"Oh, okay. Listen, I'm really sorry I couldn't answer you when you called. The trial went on for so long." Aubrey said apologetic.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I just got back home, so I'm going to put Finn into bed and then call the doctor." Chad said.

"Great. I'll be home as soon as I can." Aubrey said.

"See you soon." Chad said hanging up.

At that point Aubrey made it back to her car as quickly as she could. But before she started up her car, she called her secretary to cancel any meetings for the rest of the day due to her son's fever.

Back at home, Chad was on the phone with Finn's doctor. He was on hold for about 10 minutes until he got through.

"Dr. Hendrix, it's Chad Donaldson. My son Finn is a patient of yours and he has a fever." He said.

"Did you give him any medicine?" Dr. Hendrix asked.

"Not yet. I wanted to call you first before I do anything." Chad said.

"Okay. Just give him some medicine and take his temperature again after about an hour. If he doesn't improve, take him to the hospital." Dr. Hendrix suggested.

"All right. Thank you, sir. I'll call you back later if necessary. Bye." Chad said hanging up.

As he was about to look for the proper medication, Aubrey came home.

"Chad, Finn, I'm home." Aubrey yelled from downstairs.

"We're upstairs, honey." Chad yelled from Finn's bedroom.

Just then Aubrey set her purse down and then rushed upstairs with a worried look on her face. "Hey, how is he?" She asked.

"I just got off the phone with Dr. Hendrix. He said to give Finn some medicine and then check his temperature again in an hour." Chad recapped.

"His medicine is downstairs, I'll go get it." Aubrey said as she went downstairs to grab a bottle of medicine as well as a medicine cup before bringing it up to Finn's bedroom.

When Aubrey came into Finn's bedroom, she was greeted by her son who despite being bedridden was happy to see.

"Hey, sweetie. How you feeling?" Aubrey asked before feeling Finn's forehead. "Oh, no; you DO have a fever. Well, not to worry, your daddy & I will do whatever takes to make you feel better. Now, daddy was talking to the doctor when you got home and he said that you need to take this." She said as she poured a medicine dose into the medicine cup. When she handed Finn the cup, he downed the medicine dose. "Now try to get some rest. I'll check on you in about an hour." She continued before stepping outside the bedroom.

"So, how'd it go today?" Chad asked.

"I hated the idea of having to have my phone off while all of this was happening. Also, that trial went on for WAY longer than I expected. I'm just glad I got to leave right away after seeing your voicemail." Aubrey said. "How did this happen?" She asked.

"I don't know. All I know is when we got to the park, Finn was feeling fine while he was on the playground. Jessica came by a half hour later and talked to me and she noticed something wrong with Finn. He came up to me saying he wasn't feeling good. So, I felt his forehead, took his temperature, and then noticed he had a fever. So that's when I rushed him home." Chad recapped.

"Glad you did. I just hope that medicine helps his fever go down. Especially since he starts preschool soon." Aubrey said worried.

Aubrey took Finn's temperature one hour later and noticed it went down to about 101.3, which made her feel a sigh of relief knowing the medicine was working. A few hours later, she gave Finn another dose and then checked his temperature one last time for the night. It read 99.6 which made Aubrey feel grateful knowing that Finn could possibly feel better by morning.


	18. Jessica & Ashley's Baby

Two days later, Jessica called Aubrey to see how Finn was doing.

"Hey, Jessica" Aubrey said answering her phone.

"Hey, Aubrey. How's Finn doing? I've been worried about him ever since I saw him & Chad at the park two days ago." Jessica said concerned.

"He's feeling much better. Thank you for asking." Aubrey said.

"Well, that's good. I would hate to think of what might happen if he were in the hospital." Jessica said.

"Thankfully it didn't come to that. Though the doctor would like to see him for a checkup before he starts preschool." Aubrey said.

"I think that's a good idea." Jessica said.

"So, how's everything with you & Ashley? Isn't your new baby due any day now?" Aubrey asked.

"We're hoping for it to be soon. Ashley & I are starting to get nervous about the whole thing." Jessica said.

"Why?" Aubrey asked.

"I told Ashley about what happened at the park and she wants to be prepared if the same thing was to happen to our son." Jessica said.

"Just don't get too stressed about it, okay. I'm confident that you two can handle a crisis together." Aubrey said.

"Thanks, Aubrey. When our son is born, we'll both let you & the other Bellas know." Jessica said.

"We're all really excited about it. Anyway, I should probably get going or I'll be late for work. Later." Aubrey said before hanging up.

"Well, Ashley, looks like Finn is doing just fine." Jessica said.

"Oh, thank goodness." Ashley said.

"As it turned out, Finn DIDN'T have to go to the hospital." Jessica said.

"Well, that's a relief." Ashley said.

"I know we've had two reasons to feel nervous about our new baby being born. But Aubrey believes that we are confident enough to handle a crisis together." Jessica said.

"Of course we are. All I know is that if our son was to ever get sick or if anything else should happen to him, we will be there for him." Ashley said.

"Of course we will." Jessica agreed.

"Well, I'm off to work. How about we watch a movie when I get back." Ashley suggested.

"Sounds good to me. Don't be home too late." Jessica said as the two shared a kiss before Ashley grabbed her purse and left for work.

* * *

That night, Jessica & Ashley were cuddling on the couch watching The Greatest Showman.

"This is such a great movie." Jessica said.

"I love musicals." Ashley said.

"You know, this movie makes me wonder why I never went to the circus." Jessica said.

"That's because you never showed interest in going to one." Ashley said.

"Okay, fair point." Jessica said.

"Besides; if you did, we would've went the last time the circus came into town." Ashley said.

"Well, look at the bright side; once our little boy is born, maybe he might want to go to a circus." Jessica said.

"If he does, we'll make that happen." Ashley said as Jessica's stomach groans.

"Speaking of which..." Jessica said.

"Oh, my god; is it time?!" Ashley said.

"I think so...Yep! My water just broke!" Jessica said.

"Come on, let's get to the hospital." Ashley said as she stopped the movie, grabbed her car keys, and then helped Jessica out the door and into the car.

Even though they had a car to use, they normally took subways to work so they wouldn't worry about spending so much time finding a parking space. Though in this instance, since hospitals usually have parking garages, they didn't have to worry about it. Their concern with taking a subway was just having to walk several blocks after getting off. That concern could've been avoided if they took a cab, but they didn't want to worry about the cost of cab fare. So they both agreed that taking their own car was the better option. They arrived at the hospital by about 8pm. When they arrived, Ashley made a call to her parents and Jessica's parents that their son was about to be born.

* * *

At about 12:30am, Jessica was on the last few pushes and 3 minutes later, the baby was finally born.

"Aww, look at him. He's so cute." Jessica said.

"Yeah he is." Ashley agreed as the two welcomed their new son to the world.

"Here, Jessica. How about you hold him while I take a pic." Ashley said as Jessica agreed.

After Ashley took a pic of Jessica holding their new son, she texted her parents, Jessica's parents, and the other Bellas about their son's birth. The text read "Daniel Andrew Smith-Jones was born on August 31st, 2023." Before the couple fell asleep, they received numerous replies from the Bellas congratulating them.

Ashley received a reply from her mom stating "Congratulations. Your father and I are so happy for you two. We can't wait to meet him one day."

"We would love that sometime." Ashley replied.

Meanwhile, Jessica got a text from her mom congratulating the couple as well.

"Looks like our parents are very happy for us." Jessica said.

"I wouldn't have had it any other way." Ashley said.

"Remember when we finally got our nerve up to tell our parents we love each other?" Jessica asked as Ashley nodded. "If we never did that, we wouldn't be where we are today." She continued.

"I was skeptical about what would happen that day, but I'm glad EVERYTHING worked out in the end." Ashley said.

"And now we get to spend the next few years watching Daniel grow up to live a happy, healthy life." Jessica said.

"Which means we have a bookful of memories to make for the next few years." Ashley said before the couple eventually fell asleep.

THE END!


End file.
